Greg Jacobs: My qualifications

25 January 2007

My qualifications

MSc (Imperial College) My thesis investigated the opportunities and challenges that face integrating environmental sustainability into land reform. Titled “Holding the knife by the sharp edge" - a Rural Womens' Movement slogan.

BA Honours (Wits) My dissertation dealt with the impact of the cultivation of dagga (cannabis sativa) on rural livelihoods and was titled “From healing herb to deadly drug: culture, ideology and the control of cannabis sativa".

Higher Diploma in Education, (Wits) I'm a also qualified teacher, specialising in Geography, Science and Zulu.

Permaculture I buy into this paradigm! I've done courses and also one in mudbrick building. It's awesome.

Strugglista In the '80s and '90s I was an activist in South Africa working towards political transition in South Africa. I helped building rural schools in former Venda, Gazankulu and Lebowa with the South African Voluntary Services, campaigned for putting an end to conscription, ran land and environmental justice campaigns in the Vaal Triangle and Greater Gauteng region, was a tutor and counsellor for child ex-detainees.

SRC I was elected to the Wits SRC in 1989 on a Green ticket. To be honest, green issues were so low on the agenda in South Africa in those days, all I achieved there was getting a student parking lot tarred!

Welcome to my slogblog

My work and experience is from south and east Africa and western Asia. I live in Finland and work from Helsinki presently. I'm a South African and have lived in South Africa for most of my life.

I've been involved in the movement towards political change in South Africa in the '80s so have worked in environmental justice, land rights and rural development. As democracy was ushered in I found myself working in land rights where I was involved in trying to establish sound environmental planning approaches to make land reform projects sustainable.

More recently I have been working in social development, resettlement, livelihoods restoration and planning.

I still find myself wondering if we are making enough change happen fast enough to make the Planet a better place for everyone.

In my vision and aspirations for the next phase of my working life I can see myself contributing my experience and knowledge more to working in climate change-related risk mitigation, just transitions to low carbon energy (specifically in rural economies) and corporate social responsibility.

Scroll down to see some of the work I have done and things I've been involved in.